


The date

by MightySnowflake



Series: Shorty fem! Madara [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Dating, F/M, First Dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:35:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28789572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightySnowflake/pseuds/MightySnowflake
Summary: Tobirama’s got a date but what does it even mean?
Relationships: Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara
Series: Shorty fem! Madara [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2081220
Comments: 10
Kudos: 66





	The date

“So? How did it go?” Hashirama had already been informed of the happy news that his best friend wasn’t out there to kill his brother and of the unexpected news that the latter had organised a spontaneous date for himself and Madara.

Tobirama groaned into the pillow he had fallen on face first the moment he got home. 

“Ooh, that can’t be good.” The older man audibly drew some air through his exposed teeth.

“You’ve no idea.” Came a muffled reply.

“Come on. It couldn’t have been _that_ bad. Could it?” Hashirama’s face stayed hopeful though the question came out a bit cautious. 

The younger Senju sat up, visibly agitated. “I thought that since Madara had already quite advanced ideas how one should gain the other’s attention and what not she’d have exquisite expectations for a date as well. But _instead_ we just walked around aimlessly! None of us knowing what to say! Soon it got so awkward that I pulled the “ _I still got some papers to look at_ ” and _Madara responded with the same_ . Even though it was _a free day for us both_.”

Hashirama observed how his brother finally lowered his hands that had expressively flailed the whole monologue into his lap and gave the poor soul a worried lopsided smile. “Tobi, a date is not a formula you have to solve. It’s quite simple actually! Next time you should relax and do something both of you would enjoy!”

Tobirama had already reacted badly at the “quite simple” part but the following sentence made him spread out his arm hastily and shake his hands in a very tense manner. “ _How_ could I relax? I don’t even know what I’m doing! And I _hate_ not knowing what I’m doing!” Giving one final meaningful jerk with the arms, Tobirama’s head dropped giving him a rather pitiable appearance.

This was not a situation Hashirama wanted to see his little brother in, especially not after yesterday evening. Softening his voice a bit, he stood before the sofa where his brother was sitting. “Well, sure, but at least you could spend some time with Madara so that’s a win, right?”

Tobirama stayed suspiciously silent.

“You _do_ like her, right?” The observant coffee brown eyes made the seated figure squirm a bit. 

“I-” Tobirama looked around as if looking for an answer to reveal itself. “I don’t know.” He finally decided head dropping low once again. “I mean I don’t even know her?”

“What do you mean _you don’t know her_ ? You’ve been living and working in the same village for a year now! _Certainly_ you’ve seen her around. We’ve even invited her and Izuna to dinner with us from time to time!”

“It’s easy for _you_ to talk! I didn’t have the chance to play home or village or whatever you two did back then at the river. I _still_ don’t know her likes and dislikes. Or what she does in her free time. Heck, only a few days ago I discovered that she can forge swords! Imagine that! And quite impressive ones on top!”

Tobirama hadn’t meant to fly off the handle but for once he really couldn’t help himself. The past few overly stressful days had taken a toll on him.

“And what does Madara think of you?” Hashirama didn’t sound offended. Well, he almost never did whatever Tobirama said. This knowledge gnawed at Tobirama’s conscience but he was sure that his brother was aware of this fact as well.

“If it were up to her then the wedding would be tomorrow.”

Hashirama felt his brows rise towards the ceiling. “I didn’t know my little brother was such a lady's man!” Tobirama answered the wide smile with a sneer. Nothing malicious but enough to convey his displeasure at the title.

“But if you don’t even like her like _that_ then why did you want to go on a date?” Hashirama asked pointedly, hands crossed before him one brow raised in interest. Tobirama’s state yesterday was one thing but Hashirama didn’t stand for playing around with people’s hearts. Especially if it was his best friend.

Tobirama breathed out. “To better get to know her I guess. I mean I might not be so emotionally involved as Madara but I don’t dislike her either. So,” for the first time the younger Senju looked up at his older brother and drew his shoulders towards his head in a hesitant manner, “maybe after some time I’ll find that my interests overlap with Madara’s.”

Hashirama breathed out as well. Good. His little brother hadn’t gone down the bad road. He was just discovering a brand new world and made his very first attempts to fit into it. Hashirama held himself back to not hug his brother for how precious he was. He could do that later. _Now_ he had some lectures to give. 

\---

“What are you doing?”

Tobirama looked up to see Touka and sighed. “Writing a poem.”

The following couldn’t be described as anything else but a splatter of words. “ _You_ . Writing a _poem_?”

“Yes,” was all that Tobirama managed as a reply because he was busy gritting his teeth at the laughing woman.

“And why the hell is my usually-pretty-words-repelling-cousin doing _that_?” The news had probably already made her day. At least based on the big grin plastered on her face. 

Breathing deeply in and out, Tobirama closed his eyes and produced the most light-hearted voice he could. Which in his case always sounded a bit sarcastic, was it intentional or not. “Because Hashirama told me to. Now shut up and go bother someone else.”

“Because _Hashirama_ told you so?” The older cousin talked on as if she hadn't heard Tobirama’s request. “Since _when_ do you act on his words when what he says is yet another nonsense? I can’t phantom the idea that him wanting you to scribble some rhyming words has anything to do with the village’s wellbeing or anything along the lines.”

“It’s for my date.” Tobirama decided to elaborate quickly and honestly but nevertheless declined from looking directly at Touka.

The woman rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Ooh? You mean like the one where I saw you basically run away from before?”

Tobirama felt his cheeks warm up a bit. “No! This time I’m prepared!”

Raising a brow, Touka scanned the piles of crumpled paper on the ground with an incredulous look on her face. “Haa? You’re gonna tell your date some crap about her pretty big eyes or something in the most roundabout way possible and woo her like that?”

Honestly, Tobirama didn’t believe in it’s effectiveness either. After all, he had no experience to base his opinion on. But Hashirama did! “Well what do _you_ suggest I should do?” Really, that woman had some nerve to laugh over Tobirama when she herself had avoided any potential romance in her life till now and probably will proceed to do that in the future as well if her attitude is any indicator to go by!

“Me?” Touka threw her head back and flashed rows of sharp teeth. “If it were up to _me_ I’d meet them on the training ground and if they’re able to impress me then there would be no need for an additional date.” Patting the white hair on top of her cousin’s head, Touka laughed wholeheartedly. “Have fun with poetry!” Tobirama drove the hand off as one would an annoying fly and with that Touka left, leaving the man in an emotionally trashed state.

* * *

“You’re writing... poetry?” repeated the woman Touka’s wonder after she had picked one paper up and studied it’s content. It was Mito who found him some time later, still sitting in the middle of a sea of failed scribble.

Tobirama groaned, his hands rubbing the tired face. “Please. I’ve already gotten shade thrown at me.”

“I’m not criticising. Just curious. You’ve never shown such kind of interest before.” Mito indicated to the handwritten lines by waving the paper in the air.

“And I’m still not interested.” Replied Tobirama, not bothering to raise his head any time soon from the dark depth of a cocoon that his hands generously created.

“That’s a shame. I already hoped for a fellow enthusiast to accompany me during late night tea and literature veneration.”

When the man just kept sitting silently, Mito decided to sate her curiosity by herself.

“Then why _are_ you engaging in such an activity when you have no interest to spare?”

“Brother suggested that to win a lady’s favour I could write poetry to her as _it’s romantic_ . And since I _lack even the knowledge of romance’s existence_ I had no better idea but to heed my brother’s words.” One hand still covering his weary eyes, Tobirama vaguely gestured to the many balls of paper surrounding him. “As you can see those helpful words alone haven’t granted me the skill of romance.”

“What else did he suggest?” Mito’s voice may have sounded a bit more restrained now but Tobirama didn’t pay it much attention. He racked his sluggish brain to remember the conversation with Hashirama.

“Symbolic flowers? Serenade? Matching bracelets?”

The further the list went the chillier the air felt around Tobirama. Curious, he finally lifted his head to see Mito forcing a tight smile on her face. “I see,” she simply remarked. 

Tobirama hadn’t caught on to the problem yet so he just hoped that it wasn’t something he’d said.

“Better drop this mockery of glamour if you have to force it. The effort might show your dedication but knowing Madara I don’t believe she would expect nor appreciate something immensely out of character from you.”

Finally, some wise words and logic lightened Tobirama’s surroundings to once again reveal the good old world that he knew and loved. “I thought so,” he said and sighed with the might of a burdened god.

“Now excuse me as I need to _talk_ to my husband.” Mito turned on her heel and made Tobirama question how one could walk so forcefully yet elegantly at the same time.

* * *

“Alright. What do you see in me?” Tobirama and Madara were seated in a cozy cafe both on the opposite side of the table. Tobirama’s choice. Madara didn’t seem to like this arrangement but the Senju had already sat down and besides this way he had a better view of his conversation partner. He really didn’t understand how sitting next to each other could have been an effective position for getting to know each other better.

“Um. Black hair? Impressive dark circles under the eyes and that’s coming from _me_.-” He was cut right there.

“No! I meant what do you _see?_ ”

It sounded like a trick question. And Tobirama didn’t know how this trick worked. “Uuh… A human? Woman?” He tried. Madara groaned and cradled her head in her hands.

“Alright. Your turn. I clearly can’t get through your thick head.” The older of the two turned her entire focus on the hot chocolate in front of her enjoying the treat as was obvious from her slowly relaxing expression. 

Mito had told Tobirama to stay true to himself thus he observed the gulps absentmindedly as he tried to come up with something. Now, come to think of it Tobirama hadn’t taken Madara to have a sweet tooth. 

“Got it!” the Senju declared loudly, gaining the attention of not only Madara but the waiter and a few customers as well who raised their heads in their direction before deciding to continue minding their own business. “I would take a wild guess and assume that you’re keen on sweets?”

Madara eyed the whipped cream halfway mixed with the thick hot beverage and then looked over the table again. ”I guess.”

The man cleared his throat. “Did you know I love baking?”

It took a moment for Madara to study the hopeful expression and then another to guess the meaning of it. Going by how many times she blinked in a row with accelerating speed, it was safe to assume that she was lost. “No?”

“Well I do.” Tobirama stated proudly, happy that he’d found a common interest. However, it seemed that the Uchiha hadn’t made such a connection. Madara’s empty gaze searched Tobirama’s. “Ha.” She tried to elaborate but didn’t know how.

Tobirama rushed to help her out. “I was thinking along the lines that as you like sweets then maybe I could bake you sometimes? Maybe you could even help me if you’d like?”

A few tranquilent moments passed until Madara’s eyes filled with clarity. “Oh,” she said. “Oh!” She turned her now fiery passionate eyes to really _look_ at Tobirama and he smiled at her glad that she’d caught on to the happy discovery.

However, unexpectedly to the Senju, the woman across the table blushed dark eyes jerking from one side to the other as she pondered the idea. “I would like that very much if you’d bake for me. And… I’d like to help as well.”

The Senju was actually shocked. Had he done something right? The woman in front of him looked pleased compared to earlier. She’d even blushed! Mito must have been right. Tobirama was glad that he hadn’t gifted Madara a bunch of miserable rhyming lines as a way to give her back some of the endeavour she had put into catching his attention. Instead, now he could happily wait for the chance to bake something for and together with Madara and actually enjoy the process.

Amazed by his success, Tobirama blurted out the next common thing that he could think of. However, only at the end his sentence did he remember what the occasion was and clammed his mouth shut. 

Obviously, Madara stared at him. It was to be expected. Tobirama might not have known a lot about dates but he knew enough to understand that some things weren’t just suitable to engage in during such a time.

“Did you just propose we’d spend the rest of our date on the training field?”

The Senju felt definitely uncertain when he embraced his earlier idea. “Yes?” His voice lacked all the earlier proudness communicating rather the fear of having done something wrong and now awaiting some kind of punishment to follow.

“Basically beating each other up?”

The tiny nod that Tobirama gave could have been mistaken for a hesitant shrug. Madara’s gaze was intense when she ran her eyes up and down the fidgeting man in front of her before parting her lips again.

“I’d love that.”

She gave a toothy grin before proceeding to quickly finish her hot chocolate.

* * *

“So? What did Madara think of your love poem?” This time the younger Senju was properly sitting on the sofa reading a book while his hair dried after having a shower.

“She didn’t get any.” Came a monotone but nevertheless resolute reply.

Hashirama gasped out loud hands flailing in the air in disbelief. “What? _Why_? I _told_ you this is a watertight plan!”

“I beg to differ.” Retorted Tobirama in the earlier manner. Then he paused in his reading crimson eyes in thought before looking up through the reading glasses. “By the way, your wife wanted to talk to you.” The younger man studied Hashirama’s face before concluding. “She hasn’t found you yet?”

“Mito? Oh, I was outside the village during the day so I haven’t seen her.” Hashirama provided the information offhandedly before giving in to curiosity. “What did she want?”

Tobirama turned his attention back to the book answering offhandedly as well. “Nothing much. Just wanted to _talk_ with his husband.” 

All the earlier worry in Hashirama’s face was now replaced by a very different kind of worry. The dawn of realisation drew the blood from his face. Still not entirely out of his frozen state, the older Senju already made his way towards the front door on stiff legs. “I- I guess I’ll go meet my doom then.” And just like that he was gone leaving Tobirama to wonder if he would ever be so unconditionally in love with someone.


End file.
